HGV driver fails to spot approaching motorcyclist

[Mugshot]

That's true. It's like when I practice firing my machine gun in the garden abd my wife gets all upset because I'm not watching to make sure both my kids are out of the way.

"I can't watch both of them and keep firing my machine gun" I say.

And she's all "slow down or stop for a second until you know they're both out if the way". Honestly, women.

Exactly, to suggest that you as the one wielding the machine gun should also be responsibile for ensuring that everyone is out of the way is just unreasonable!

 

[Milkfloat]

Devils advocate:

Was the driver being totally inattentive in not seeing the motorcycle? Or was he spending too much time checking his mirror, to make sure he doesn't wipe out the lady with a pram, with the rear of the vehicle?

An HGV driver is trained and experinced enough to know where his rear is and the path it will take. If he is unsure then he should not be moving forward without looking. This is just an example of piss poor driving.

 

[jonny jeez]

My GPz900R only gets about 35mpg but can save 40 minutes on my commute (shame I can't pull a clutch in atm)

A 125 VESPA will save you 45 minutes (they are more manoeuvrable) and still return over 65mpg, with £15 tax and most likely about £30 a year insurance (mine is currently £60 as it covers "work" duties, in case I want to ride to a meeting on it....its the way forward.

 

[Markymark]

Exactly, to suggest that you as the one wielding the machine gun should also be responsibile for ensuring that everyone is out of the way is just unreasonable!

Not only that, I pay Council Tax for my garden, my kids pay nothing so shouldn't even be there.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

A 125 VESPA will save you 45 minutes (they are more manoeuvrable) and still return over 65mpg, with £15 tax and most likely about £30 a year insurance (mine is currently £60 as it covers "work" duties, in case I want to ride to a meeting on it....its the way forward.

Not when 20 miles are down the M62

 

[jonny jeez]

Not when 20 miles are down the M62

Ah, yes...but then a 300 would....go on, give it a go, you'll not look back.

 

[Mugshot]

Not only that, I pay Council Tax for my garden, my kids pay nothing so shouldn't even be there.

Those pesky kids

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Ah, yes...but then a 300 would....go on, give it a go, you'll not look back.

Unless you can get a 300 for less than £1000 then I'll stick to whatever I can find just for beating back and to, to work.

I did entertain some super-scoots, but decided that they're just too pricey to buy.

 

[jefmcg]

OK, going back to the original video, there is another troubling thing: the driver starts reversing his lorry without getting out of the cabin first to assess the situation. If there had been someone under his wheels who had survived the initial collision, that backing might have crushed their pelvis or severed their leg. He's a very bad driver.

 

[jefmcg]

BBC have taken the story up
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33622318

There's no suggestion that in this case the lorry driver was acting negligently. Indeed, it appears from the footage that, as he turned, he took pains to avoid his rear wheels mounting the pavement where a woman with a buggy was standing.

?? He wasn't negligent because he only ran over one of the two vulnerable road users at that intersection?

 

[Origamist]

?? He wasn't negligent because he only ran over one of the two vulnerable road users at that intersection?

It's worrying that a BBC journo thinks "There's no suggestion that in this case the lorry driver was acting negligently" when he took the corner with that line and at that speed and hit another road user. The decision to reverse was also negligent as he did not know for certain what was under his vehicle.

 

[Milkfloat]

It's worrying that a BBC journo thinks "There's no suggestion that in this case the lorry driver was acting negligently" when he took the corner with that line and at that speed and hit another road user. The decision to reverse was also negligent as he did not know for certain what was under his vehicle.

if is not often I get made enough to want to contact the BBC, but the article really makes me wish it had a comments section. The driver is completely negligent, the 'expert' with vested inters is also talking rubbish.

"It was the proper manoeuvre," says Melvyn Hodgetts, a former logistics safety director for Royal Mail. "He couldn't have done it any other way." Because this is a rigid vehicle, rather than an articulated lorry with a pivoting joint, the driver has to take a wide left-hand turn so as not to clip the kerb.

The driver could have looked before turning, slowed down whilst turning and moved his head around whilst making the turn , in addition he could have gone wider on the main road before turning in thus meaning he would not be on the wrong side of the road or cut off the corner where the pushchair was.

In addition the press and 'experts' seem to have missed that the lorry was aiming for the right side of the road. You can see from the video that the drivers wheels straighten up as he hits the bike. If he was trying to get back on correct side of the road, he would have continued his turn.

/rant over

 

[User16625]

What was the outcome? What penalties were given to the driver and did the biker receive sufficient compo?

 

[Profpointy]

if is not often I get made enough to want to contact the BBC, but the article really makes me wish it had a comments section. The driver is completely negligent, the 'expert' with vested inters is also talking rubbish.

"It was the proper manoeuvre," says Melvyn Hodgetts, a former logistics safety director for Royal Mail. "He couldn't have done it any other way." Because this is a rigid vehicle, rather than an articulated lorry with a pivoting joint, the driver has to take a wide left-hand turn so as not to clip the kerb.

The driver could have looked before turning, slowed down whilst turning and moved his head around whilst making the turn , in addition he could have gone wider on the main road before turning in thus meaning he would not be on the wrong side of the road or cut off the corner where the pushchair was.

In addition the press and 'experts' seem to have missed that the lorry was aiming for the right side of the road. You can see from the video that the drivers wheels straighten up as he hits the bike. If he was trying to get back on correct side of the road, he would have continued his turn.

/rant over

But surely it was "the proper.manoeuvre" the problem was he didn't look properly.

I really don't get the bbc's "not negligent" comment though as it manifestly was negligent. But nor was it inherently stupid - and I do rather wonder if the pitchfork brigade have really never.made a mistake driving. Most of us try and be sensible, but no one who's scrapped a gatepost can be too righteous here.

EDIT - I'm not saying the driving was remotely OK for the avoidance of doubt

 

[Markymark]

But surely it was "the proper.manoeuvre" the problem was he didn't look properly.

I really don't get the bbc's "not negligent" comment though as it manifestly was negligent. But nor was it inherently stupid - and I do rather wonder if the pitchfork brigade have really never.made a mistake driving. Most of us try and be sensible, but no one who's scrapped a gatepost can be too righteous here.

I make all sorts of mistakes. For example, I sometimes drop things at home - smashed a few glasses on the kitchen floor. Never dropped one of my kids onto it though.

I like to think I take more care the more dangerous thing I am doing. I may well have scuffed my car on the garage post as I was further over than I thought. I'd like to think I would be more careful to not make mistakes if driving a fudging HGV through the fudging streets on London when surrounded by fudging people who could easily be fudging squashed.